pṛthuḥ purūravāḥ gādhiḥ—Mahārājas Pṛthu, Purūravā and Gādhinahuṣaḥ bharataḥ arjunaḥ—Nahuṣa, Bharata and Kārtavīrya Arjunamāndhātā sagaraḥ rāmaḥ—Māndhātā, Sagara and Rāmakhaṭvāṅgaḥ dhundhuhā raghuḥ—Khaṭvāṅga, Dhundhuhā and Raghutṛṇabinduḥ yayātiḥ ca—Tṛṇabindu and Yayātiśaryātiḥ śantanuḥ gayaḥ—Śaryāti, Śantanu and Gayabhagīrathaḥ kuvalayāśvaḥ—Bhagīratha and Kuvalayāśvakakutsthaḥ naiṣadhaḥ nṛgaḥ—Kakutstha, Naiṣadha and Nṛgahiraṇyakaśipuḥ vṛtraḥ—Hiraṇyakaśipu and Vṛtrāsurarāvaṇaḥ—Rāvaṇaloka-rāvaṇaḥ—who made the whole world crynamuciḥ śambaraḥ bhaumaḥ—Namuci, Śambara and Bhaumahiraṇyākṣaḥ—Hiraṇyākṣaatha—andtārakaḥ—Tārakaanye—othersca—as wellbahavaḥ—manydaityāḥ—demonsrājānaḥ—kingsye—whomahā-īśvarāḥ—great controllerssarve—all of themsarva-vidaḥ—all-knowingśūrāḥ—heroessarve—allsarva-jitaḥ—all-conqueringajitāḥ—unconquerablemamatām—possessivenessmayi—for meavartanta—they livedkṛtvā—expressinguccaiḥ—to a great degreemartya-dharmiṇaḥ—subject to the laws of birth and deathkathā-avaśeṣāḥ—remaining merely as historical narrationskālena—by the force of timehi—indeedakṛta-arthāḥ—incomplete in perfecting their desireskṛtāḥ—they have been madevibho—O Lord.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
pṛthuḥ purūravā gādhir
pṛthuḥ purūravāḥ gādhiḥ
Mahārājas Pṛthu, Purūravā and Gādhi
nahuṣo bharato ’rjunaḥ
nahuṣaḥ bharataḥ arjunaḥ
Nahuṣa, Bharata and Kārtavīrya Arjuna
māndhātā sagaro rāmaḥ
māndhātā sagaraḥ rāmaḥ
Māndhātā, Sagara and Rāma
khaṭvāṅgo dhundhuhā raghuḥ
khaṭvāṅgaḥ dhundhuhā raghuḥ
Khaṭvāṅga, Dhundhuhā and Raghu
tṛṇabindur yayātiś ca
tṛṇabinduḥ yayātiḥ ca
Tṛṇabindu and Yayāti
śaryātiḥ śantanur gayaḥ
śaryātiḥ śantanuḥ gayaḥ
Śaryāti, Śantanu and Gaya
bhagīrathaḥ kuvalayāśvaḥ
bhagīrathaḥ kuvalayāśvaḥ
Bhagīratha and Kuvalayāśva
kakutstho naiṣadho nṛgaḥ
kakutsthaḥ naiṣadhaḥ nṛgaḥ
Kakutstha, Naiṣadha and Nṛga
hiraṇyakaśipur vṛtro
hiraṇyakaśipuḥ vṛtraḥ
Hiraṇyakaśipu and Vṛtrāsura
rāvaṇo loka-rāvaṇaḥ
rāvaṇaḥ
Rāvaṇa
loka-rāvaṇaḥ
who made the whole world cry
namuciḥ śambaraḥ bhaumaḥ
Namuci, Śambara and Bhauma
namuciḥ śambaro bhaumo
hiraṇyākṣo ’tha tārakaḥ
hiraṇyākṣaḥ
Hiraṇyākṣa
atha
and
tārakaḥ
Tāraka
anye ca bahavo daityā
anye
others
ca
as well
bahavaḥ
many
daityāḥ
demons
rājāno ye maheśvarāḥ
rājānaḥ
kings
ye
who
mahā-īśvarāḥ
great controllers
sarve sarva-vidaḥ śūrāḥ
sarve
all of them
sarva-vidaḥ
all-knowing
śūrāḥ
heroes
sarve sarva-jito ’jitāḥ
sarve
all
sarva-jitaḥ
all-conquering
ajitāḥ
unconquerable
mamatāṁ mayy avartanta
mamatām
possessiveness
mayi
for me
avartanta
they lived
kṛtvoccair martya-dharmiṇaḥ
kṛtvā
expressing
uccaiḥ
to a great degree
martya-dharmiṇaḥ
subject to the laws of birth and death
kathāvaśeṣāḥ kālena
kathā-avaśeṣāḥ
remaining merely as historical narrations
kālena
by the force of time
hi
indeed
hy akṛtārthāḥ kṛtā vibho
akṛta-arthāḥ
incomplete in perfecting their desires
kṛtāḥ
they have been made
vibho
O Lord.
“Such kings as Pṛthu, Purūravā, Gādhi, Nahuṣa, Bharata, Kārtavīrya Arjuna, Māndhātā, Sagara, Rāma, Khaṭvāṅga, Dhundhuhā, Raghu, Tṛṇabindu, Yayāti, Śaryāti, Śantanu, Gaya, Bhagīratha, Kuvalayāśva, Kakutstha, Naiṣadha, Nṛga, Hiraṇyakaśipu, Vṛtra, Rāvaṇa, who made the whole world lament, Namuci, Śambara, Bhauma, Hiraṇyākṣa and Tāraka, as well as many other demons and kings who possessed great powers of control over others, were all full of knowledge, heroic, all-conquering and unconquerable. Nevertheless, O almighty Lord, although they lived their lives intensely trying to possess me, these kings were subject to the passage of time, which reduced them all to mere historical accounts. None of them could permanently establish their rule.”
Purport
According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, and as confirmed by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, the King Rāma mentioned here is not the incarnation of Godhead Rāmacandra. Pṛthu Mahārāja is understood to be an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who completely exhibited the characteristics of an earthly king, claiming proprietorship over the entire earth. A saintly king like Pṛthu Mahārāja, however, controls the earth on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whereas a demon such as Hiraṇyakaśipu or Rāvaṇa tries to exploit the earth for his personal sense gratification. Nevertheless, both saintly kings and demons must leave the earth. In this way their political supremacy is ultimately neutralized by the force of time.
Modern political leaders cannot even temporarily control the entire earth, nor are their opulences and intelligence unlimited. Possessing hopelessly fragmented power, enjoying a minuscule life span, and lacking deep existential intelligence, modern leaders inevitably are symbols of frustration and misdirected ambition.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Such kings as Pṛthu, Purūravā, Gādhi, Nahuṣa, Bharata, Kārtavīrya Arjuna, Māndhātā, Sagara, Rāma, Khaṭvāṅga, Dhundhuhā, Raghu, Tṛṇabindu, Yayāti, Śaryāti, Śantanu, Gaya, Bhagīratha, Kuvalayāśva, Kakutstha, Naiṣadha, Nṛga, Hiraṇyakaśipu, Vṛtra, Rāvaṇa, who made the whole world lament, Namuci, Śambara, Bhauma, Hiraṇyākṣa and Tāraka, as well as many other demons and kings who were powerful controllers, were full of knowledge, heroic, all-conquering and unconquerable. Nevertheless, O almighty Lord, they lived their lives intensely trying to possess me. They were not unsuccessful, even though they attained their goals fully, for these kings in time have become only historical accounts.
Śrīdhara Svāmī says that Rāma mentioned here is not the son of Daśaratha. It is another king. These kings had strong possessive instincts, they were not unsuccessful. They were successful since they attained their desires (kṛtāḥ). They were full in form, qualities, and other features, but even then, they ultimately are only stories in history. What then to speak of modern persons, who are imperfect in attaining wealth and other things? Krta means Satya-yuga and paryāpti according to Amara-koṣa, and paryāpti means fullness.